West Ham survive scare to reach Europa League group stage

Late goals from Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio see off AZ Alkmaar

David Moyes' side progresses 4-3 on aggregate after first-leg defeat

West Ham United reached the Europa League group stage with a 2-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar at the London Stadium on Thursday. The Hammers, who lost the first leg 1-0 in the Netherlands, fell behind again in the 28th minute when Dani de Wit fired AZ ahead. But Said Benrahma equalised from the penalty spot in the 67th minute after Tomas Necid was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. And Michail Antonio completed the turnaround 10 minutes later, heading home from close range after good work from Benrahma. The victory means West Ham will be in the Europa League group stage for the second season in a row. Speaking after the game, David Moyes said he was delighted with his team's performance. "It was a tough game, but we showed great character to come back from behind," he said. "We created a lot of chances and deserved to win. I'm very proud of the players." West Ham will now find out who they will face in the group stage when the draw is made on Friday.

Conclusion

West Ham United's victory over AZ Alkmaar was a hard-fought one, but it was ultimately deserved. The Hammers showed great character to come back from behind and secure their place in the Europa League group stage. This is a significant achievement for the club, and it will give them a chance to compete against some of the best teams in Europe.